In the world of technology, most of the big names belong to men. But it’s time for them to move over and make room for Cher Wang.
  Although Wang, 51, was born into a wealthy family, she persistently created her own success. Her drive paid off, as evidenced by the fact that she and husband Wenchi Chen of computer hardware manufacturer VIA Technologies made Forbes’ 2009 list of billionaires.
  But Wang’s success is not only due to hard work. HTC’s history shows she also has plenty of vision and innovation. The company launched a smartphones predecessor in 1997—Wang explains that the market wasn’t ready for it yet—and was the first manufacturer to create a device for Google’s Android mobile platform in the HTC Dream, which was released in October of 2008.
  Wang is a woman ahead of her time.

Powerful, innovative and faithful

  Until recently, the name HTC meant little to consumers. Now the Taiwanese Google-phone maker is in the spotlight. Here, chairman and cofounder Cher Wang talks about HTC’s culture and her biblically infused thinking.

FC: HTC has suddenly become a prominent player in mobile technology. But this isn’t a new pursuit for you.
CW: Thirteen years ago, when we started HTC, our focus was on how to make people’s lives easier through mobility and through not having to carry huge computers around. We wanted users to be able to talk to friends and relatives, read books, and access the Internet on one device. With our smartphones, we’ve started to see this vision come true, and that’s very exciting. But there are many things left to be done. Right now, it’s just the beginning. ...

Discussion Questions

- What features would you look for in a smartphone?
- Would you agree that HTC’s slogan, “Quietly brilliant,” accurately reflects its products? Why or why not?